Several years ago, NBC’s Dan Patrick asked former Lions CEO Matt Millen whether he would have fired himself. (Millen basically said yes.)
In a new interview with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, NBC’s Bob Costas asked Jones whether Jones the owner would have fired Jones the General Manager.
“Well, I think so . . . because he was there to dismiss,” Jones said. “I’ve always worked for myself and you can’t do that. You basically have to straighten that guy out in the mirror when you work for yourself. But certainly, if I’d had the discretion, I’ve done it with coaches and certainly I would have changed a general manager.”
Jones made himself the G.M. when he bought the team in 1989. Before Al Gore invented the Internet and before sports talk radio was as prevalent as it is now, Jones was able hire Jones to be the G.M. without creating too big of a national stink. Today, it would be very hard for an owner with no credentials or experience to make himself the G.M.
And even though Jones the owner would have fired Jones the G.M. by now, Jones firing himself would have been even harder.